Riley plaintiffs, Dems rule out appeal

JUNEAU — The legal fight over Alaska’s redistricting plan may be nearing an end.

Jason Gazewood, an attorney for Fairbanks-area plaintiffs George Riley and Ronald Dearborn, says they do not plan to appeal a decision approving the latest map. A spokesman says Alaska’s Democratic party also does not plan to appeal.

Gazewood says those who filed friend of court briefs may have standing to appeal but he didn’t think so.

On Monday, Superior Court Judge Michael McConahy ruled the plan met constitutional challenges. The decision was the latest in a dispute that dates to 2011 and has involved several proposed iterations for Alaska’s political boundaries.

The Alaska Supreme Court allowed an interim map to be used for last year’s elections but in December ordered the redistricting board to redraw the map.